One of college football’s top quarterback competitions is seemingly already over.
Texas coach Steve Sarkisian made it clear Saturday that sophomore Quinn Ewers, not freshman Arch Manning, is the Longhorns’ starting quarterback.
‘I think it’s pretty clear to say Quinn’s our starting quarterback and we feel very good about that,’ Sarkisian said after Texas’ spring game.
Sarkisian did not reveal if Manning, the nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning and the top recruit in the Class of 2023, is QB2, or if he is behind redshirt freshman Maalik Murphy.
‘I don’t have to establish a pecking order right now. That’s the beauty of it. I have another 29 practices to go in fall camp,’ Sarkisian said.
Ewers, who started 10 games for the Longhorns last season after transferring from Ohio State, completed 16 of his 23 passes for 195 yards and a touchdown in Saturday’s spring game. ‘I thought Quinn was really efficient today,’ Sarkisian said.
Murphy went 9-for-13 for 165 yards while Manning completed just five of his 13 pass attempts.
‘I think to be fair to these guys, Maalik, that was his first spring that he ever had. He didn’t get spring a year ago,’ Sarkisian said. ‘Arch, those were his first 15 practices of his life in college. So, sometimes, we can rush to judgment on where guys are at.’
Even with Ewers, who was the top overall recruit in the 2021 class, established at the top, Sarkisian is ‘fired up’ about Texas’ QB room.
‘I don’t ever want to take the stinger of these other guys that they’re not competing for something, that they’re not striving for something, because they’re all talented players,’ Sarkisian said. ‘They’re great teammates with one another. I think they all appreciate how hard each of them work. I think we’re in a very fortunate position to have three quality guys in that room that work the way that they do.’
‘I thought Quinn was really efficient today.